The Heir of Dragons: A Legend begins

The Foundling

"At this rate we aren't going to find any good stone." Coming from a man standing twenty feet up the mountain from the comments intended target.

"That Barrel Scotch isn't doing me any favors today. Just keep your pants on, we will find some." said the man struggling his way up the mountain. "Angle toward the west, there is a stream. A cool drink and a splash on the head and I'll be right as rain."

"Axin, by we get to the stream you might as well jump in. You are sweating all of that shite you drank last night and you stink to high heaven."

A laugh ending in a sputtering caugh was his only response.

"It seems farther away than I remember." Said the one called Axin.

"Get your drink and let's get moving. I would like to finish filling our packs before we return."

"Bian, you worry too much." Said Axin, then he bent to drink.

Bian used his foot and shoved Axin in. Axin came sputtering up to the surface, splashing about as he got his footing in the shallow stream.

"You son of a b..." he began but went silent as he heard something.

"You know she was your mother too..."

He was shushed as Axin moved to the sound.

"What is it?" asked Bian

"It's a baby," Axin said with shock almost rendering him silent.

"A baby? Up here?" queried Bian, "Have you been drinking again?"

My displeased squeal silenced him from further inquiry.

"It can't be up here, not without family." Said Axin

They searched up and down the banks looking for any sign of life. They found none.

"How," began Bian, "Can a baby be here, without a single track or sign of whoever left him here?"

"I don't know," said Axin. "We need to find who he belongs to."

A moment of silence as they pondered what to do.

"Let's camp here for the rest fo the day and tonight." Said Bian.

"Yes, and if no one comes we will leave a note and take the baby to town." Finished Axin

So they set up camped, and though they visited and went about their own tasks they kept an eye out for a possible returning parent. They took turns on guard through the night visiting while they were both awake.

"What was that he was lying on?" asked Bian.

"I've never seen anything like it," replied Axin, "but it looks like a scale. A giant scale."

They were still discussing that scale into the night and into the next morning. But as they began moving back down the mountain the topic changed.

"He sure is big," said Axin, "How old do you think he is?"

"Well going by the Lack of teeth, the sparse hair, and the fact that the eyes are only partially responsive I would say he is only a few days old." Said Bian matter of factly.

"But he is so big." Said Axin with doubt obvious in his voice.

"I'm sorry mister expert. How many kids do you have?" Bian's sarcasm was just as obvious.

"Okay brother, I defer to you oh father of five. But he is big."

They came into Remnant village late that afternoon. It was where the remnants of the Defenders had come to when the general population had turned on them. It shouldn't really have been called a village. Hundreds of soldiers had brought their families here. It was a city unto itself and over the last twenty years it had grown beyond its origins. The village was completely self-reliant, it had its Farmers and ranchers along with its craftsmen. They traded with the capitol city and the out posts and villages along the way and had grown prosperous. I was the first real excitement the Village had seen since its inception. The brothers made their way through town greeting all they met. By the time they got me to the magistrate's office a curious crowd had gathered behind them.